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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22821811">felix can have some birthday wishes...as a treat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RomanoJet/pseuds/RomanoJet'>RomanoJet</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Nonbinary My Unit | Byleth, it's all just fluff felix is just loved okay!!!!, the sylvix is pretty much background it's only in sylvain's section</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:33:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,371</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22821811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RomanoJet/pseuds/RomanoJet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix gets birthday wishes from all his friends at Garreg Mach!</p><p>--</p><p>Felix Week Day 1: Birthday</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius &amp; My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, felix hugo fraldarius &amp; basically everyone he supports with</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Felix Birthday Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>felix can have some birthday wishes...as a treat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Felix doesn’t really like celebrating his birthday. He dislikes the fuss everyone makes out of a day that’s barely special, aside from the simple act of him being born, which he didn’t even have any control over. He isn’t fond of the whole ‘presents and cake’ kind of thing, either. For the last few years before coming to Garreg Mach, he had elected to spend his birthday in the training grounds, only coming out to reluctantly receive birthday wishes from Ingrid or Sylvain if they visited. The boar, of course, he had refused to see.<br/>
<br/>
But now that he’s at school and someone (probably Sylvain) had let slip to the professor that his birthday is today, there’s no avoiding the people he hasn’t even acquainted himself with here coming up to him with smiles and well-wishes. Having random people he doesn’t really know showering him with pretty words just kind of feels vaguely uncomfortable. His birth isn’t really something to be celebrated, anyway.<br/>
<br/>
He decides to hole himself up in his room to avoid this, and when he hears a knock on his door, he debates pretending not to be in. But when he hears the professor’s soft voice calling his name, he sighs and hauls himself up to open the door.<br/>
<br/>
“Hello, Professor,” he says, his scowl relaxing into merely a frown when he sees they’re only holding an envelope.<br/>
<br/>
“Hello, Felix,” Byleth greets, their face rather blank, as usual. But their eyes are bright, and Felix can’t help but feel some of his frustration dissipating. “This letter is from your father.”<br/>
<br/>
They hand it over, and Felix takes it, pretending to grumble. In truth, he’s rather pleased the old man even bothered to send anything. He opens it, reads the customary birthday wishes plus a few notes about how Rodrigue was pleased to hear of his advancements in his studies, and sets it on his desk. He turns to see the professor has not left.<br/>
<br/>
“Would you like to come for some tea?” they inquire, a small smile on their face. “I understand if you are busy, but it would be lovely if you would join me.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix hesitates. He knows they take everyone out for a special session on their birthday. He supposes there’s nothing wrong with going; everyone cherishes tea time with the professor, after all.<br/>
<br/>
“Alright, I’ll come,” he sighs, making sure he’s fully presentable before stepping out of the room and falling into stride next to the professor as they lead him outside to the courtyard. They take their seats at the normal table, where the tea and biscuits are already set up. It seems Byleth had known Felix would say yes.<br/>
<br/>
They pour Felix some tea, and Felix catches the sharp, clear scent of Almyran pine needles, his favourite blend. Of course the professor would know that. He takes the cup and thanks them before taking a careful sip. “Not bad,” he comments.<br/>
<br/>
The professor pours themself some before surveying Felix over their cup. “I’ve been working on a new sword technique,” they mention, and Felix instantly brightens.<br/>
<br/>
“You’ll have to show me in a spar sometime,” he says, smirking, and the professor nods, looking satisfied.<br/>
<br/>
“I admired your strength in the last battle,” they say next, and Felix keeps his smirk.<br/>
<br/>
“I’ll become even stronger, just you wait. This is child’s play compared to what I’ll become.” The professor looks proud.<br/>
<br/>
They take one of the biscuits from the tray and take a bite, brushing crumbs from the front of their cloak. “I’m counting on you, Felix. You are an indispensable part of the team.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix practically glows. “Thank you.” He doesn’t know why, but every time they have tea, the professor knows just what to say to make him feel happy and proud of himself. He feels the need to say something, desperate to know how the professor will respond. “Crests, lineage, knighthood…trifles,” he scoffs. “Skill and survival are the only things that matter.”<br/>
<br/>
The professor nods and commends him. Felix feels vindicated, and he practically beams at the professor. Of course, for him, it’s barely more than a normal smile, but it’s a lot.<br/>
<br/>
He crosses his arms and sits back in his chair, thinking that having a birthday celebrated by the professor might not suck so much after all. He looks up at the professor to see them staring at him, turning their head to see different angles. Nonplussed, he just sort of sits there, a blush rising on his face. “You’re staring,” he says finally, when it goes on for too long.<br/>
<br/>
Byleth merely nods, and then draws a good-quality hunting dagger out of their cloak. “For you,” they say, handing it to him. “Happy birthday.”<br/>
<br/>
Surprised, Felix takes it. “Ah...thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
Seemingly satisfied, Byleth stands up. Felix stands too. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I...hope you’ll invite me again sometime.”<br/>
<br/>
With a smile, Byleth nods and begins packing up the tea set. Felix hears them say something like 'perfect teatime' but he's uncaring of what that means. Cradling his new dagger, he begins to make his way back to his own room. However, on his way back, he’s interrupted by the boar, of all people. He screws his face up in a scowl and forms a scathing jab to spit, but the boar holds up a hand to stop him before he does.<br/>
<br/>
“I know you do not desire my company, but you are still my friend, Felix,” he says mournfully. It makes Felix’s gut clench painfully. “I was wondering if you would perhaps like to spar? We do not have to speak. But I would at least like to say happy birthday, Felix.” He holds out a training sword, the other clutched too tightly in his own hand.<br/>
<br/>
Felix huffs and yanks the sword from his grasp. “Fine. Don’t waste my time, boar. Training grounds, now.”<br/>
<br/>
He stalks off, Dimitri following behind. When they reach the grounds, he immediately dashes at him, raising his sword and bringing it down on the boar. Dimitri blocks, his strength unparalleled as always, and returns the blow.<br/>
<br/>
They go back and forth, Dimitri’s strength pitted against Felix’s speed and skill. As the norm is when they spar, Felix can feel his muscles groaning with the effort, and he feels a satisfaction in that. It gets his blood pumping and his heart racing in the chilly air.<br/>
<br/>
Finally, he spins with a new move that the professor taught him last week, effectively disarming Dimitri and kicking him over, pointing the sword at his throat. “You lose,” he huffs, turning away and sheathing the weapon.<br/>
<br/>
He makes no offer to help Dimitri up, and so he pops up to his feet on his own. “That was a wonderful move, Felix!” he says enthusiastically. “Did you learn that in class?”<br/>
<br/>
Felix shrugs, turning on his heel to hang up the weapon on the wall. “Doesn’t matter,” he mutters. A good spar always makes him feel more relaxed, so that’s probably why he’s not feeling as much hatred as usual looking at the boar’s fake, smiling face.<br/>
<br/>
Dimitri puts up his weapon next to him. “I hope you have a good rest of your birthday, Felix,” he says warmly. “I’ve missed being able to celebrate with you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Whatever,” Felix mumbles, standing there for a few more seconds before it becomes awkward. “Bye, boar.”<br/>
<br/>
He makes his escape, intent on making it to his room this time. Of course, because he just can’t catch a break, he hears a squeal and a crash as he passes by Bernadetta’s room. He had only spoken with the meek girl a few times since she joined the Blue Lions, which mostly consisted of her being scared of him for no reason. Despite this, he raps on the door.<br/>
<br/>
“Everything okay?” he asks curtly. A shriek answers from inside.<br/>
<br/>
“Y-Yes! There’s nothing to see here!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix huffs. “You sounded like you were in trouble. There was crashing.”<br/>
<br/>
Bernadetta laughs wildly. Felix considers just leaving as she rambles on. “Nope! Nothing to worry about! It’s just Bernie in here, nothing for you to see, nothing!”<br/>
<br/>
“Okay,” he says. “I’m leaving, then.”<br/>
<br/>
“Wait!” To his surprise, the door cracks open a little bit. “Um, there’s actually, uh, something to see in here,” Bernadetta says sheepishly. “Remember when you, um, tried to give me back my satchel?”<br/>
<br/>
“You freaked out on me. Several times,” Felix recalls. He raises an eyebrow.<br/>
<br/>
Bernie squeaks and pales at his expression. “W-Well, yes. But you mentioned my sword technique thing, and, um, it gave me this idea, and then Sylvain said it was your birthday, so…” Widening the gap of the door from the wall, she sticks out her arm, brandishing something.<br/>
<br/>
She whimpers when Felix reaches out and takes it, drawing her arm back into her room immediately. He studies the little cloth bag. It’s about the size of a normal coin purse, woven with an intricate design of a sword on the front. It’s actually quite pretty, not that he would say that out loud.<br/>
<br/>
“Is this for me?” he asks.<br/>
<br/>
She nods, opening the door a little more so that he can actually see her face. She looks a little bashful, but mostly just scared, like always. “Yes! It is! U-Um, happy birthday! Please don’t kill me.”<br/>
<br/>
He frowns. “Shut up. I’m not going to kill you.” He looks back down at the coin purse. “...Thank you. I like it.”<br/>
<br/>
Bernadetta blinks, looking confused. But then she actually cracks a tiny smile. “You’re, um, welcome. Bye!” And the door clicks shut once again.<br/>
<br/>
Felix studies the gift. He didn’t really like gifts on principle, but there was nothing wrong with this. It’s actually rather thoughtful. Shaking his head, he stuffs it in his uniform pocket and continues to his room. At this rate, he’s not expecting to reach it at all.<br/>
<br/>
He’s proved right as he finds Dorothea blocking his path to the stairs. “Let me through,” he grunts, not really looking forward to talking to her. Her favourite pastime seems to be watching him in the training grounds, prattling on about nobles and being social. It’s not his cup of tea.<br/>
<br/>
She smirks, winking at him. “Now, now, Felix. I haven’t even told you what I want with you, yet.”<br/>
<br/>
“Isn’t it obvious?” he scoffs. “You’re here to talk my ear off again.” Ever since she had joined the Blue Lions, it seemed like she was always in the training grounds whenever he was, ready to distract him with idle chatter.<br/>
<br/>
She tsks, patting his arm. He scowls. “Oh, Felix. A little birdie told me today’s your birthday, so I’m just taking it upon myself to do something nice for my friend.”<br/>
<br/>
“We’re friends?” he asks disbelievingly, but it falls upon deaf ears as she drags him off to the dining hall. He grimaces as he recalls their last few conversations. “I’m not going to join you for sweets,” he grouses, though he lets her pull him along.<br/>
<br/>
“I know! That’s why we’re not doing that,” she chimes. “We’re doing something else.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix tries to think about what else he knows about Dorothea. She likes singing, he remembers. “I don’t want to sing, either.”<br/>
<br/>
She gives him a strange look. “We weren’t going to. Though maybe that would have been a good idea...hm! Never mind. Come along, now.” Once they’re in the dining hall, she finally lets go of him, and he rubs his arm.<br/>
<br/>
To his displeasure, there’s a meal set up at an empty table, which Dorothea heads to. “I remember telling you I eat when I’m hungry, and I eat alone,” he grumbles, though he sits down. Admittedly, the spiced meat skewer there looks like perfection incarnate, the smell alone enough to make his mouth water.<br/>
<br/>
She giggles. “I know, I know. I’m not going to <em>stay</em> here, silly. I just thought I’d prepare you a lunch you actually liked on your special day, since you were very insistent on not liking anything sweet.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. While Dorothea annoys him sometimes, he has to admit that this is a kind gesture and she was only trying to do something nice. “Ugh. You can stay.”<br/>
<br/>
Her smile curls like a cat’s. “What was that, Felix?”<br/>
<br/>
He scowls. “I know you heard me. You can stay. We can...have lunch together, or whatever. I don’t care.”<br/>
<br/>
She laughs. Felix supposes people would describe the sound as like a bell. He wouldn’t know. “Why, here I was thinking you despised me! But if you wish it, of course I’ll stay.” She settles herself on the bench across from him, and he realises only then that there are already two plates of the dish on the table. She had planned for this, the sneaky- Ugh, whatever.<br/>
<br/>
He takes a bite of the food, which is literally perfect. He has to stop himself from letting the pleasure show on his face, but Dorothea seems to see it anyway. She laughs again, tucking into her own dish.<br/>
<br/>
When he’s done, he stands. Dorothea, too, gets to her feet. “Did you enjoy it?” she asks slyly, eyeing his plate, which is completely scraped clean.<br/>
<br/>
“It was fine,” he says, avoiding her eyes. “Thanks, I guess.”<br/>
<br/>
She smirks. “Anything for my friend. Enjoy the rest of your birthday, Felix!”<br/>
<br/>
Shaking his head, Felix turns towards the exit. He supposes that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. And he had gotten a good meal out of it, which was fine. His mood, however, is ruined when he looks up and sees the boar’s bodyguard waiting for him outside the dining hall.<br/>
<br/>
“What do you want?” he asks, his eyes narrowing. After Dedue had protected him from major injury in one of their previous battles, they had struck up some sort of understanding between each other, but that doesn’t mean he likes seeing him all the time. Especially since he was usually by the boar’s side.<br/>
<br/>
Dedue does not smile, but he does not look upset, either. “Sylvain informed us all that it was your birthday,” he rumbles. “I have something for you.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix glowers at him. He’s about to snap back that he doesn’t want anything from Dedue, but he reins himself in before he can. The professor had been encouraging them all to build better bonds between each other. While he usually would scoff and ignore something like that, he has to admit that he respects the professor. So maybe he can talk to Dedue this once.<br/>
<br/>
“Fine,” he ends up saying, though there was still a bite to his voice. “...Thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
Dedue nods, and withdraws a flower from behind his back. Felix had no idea what it is, but he supposes it has meaning, since Dedue is always in the stupid greenhouse. “Gladiolus,” he says, offering it to Felix. “Strength of character, faithfulness, and honour. I will watch your back in the next battle, Felix.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix takes the flower, gazing at it for a second before looking up at Dedue with a flustered scowl. “I...whatever. I’ll, um, make sure you don’t die or whatever. Fuck off,” he stumbles over his words. Pushing past Dedue, he stomps off in a random direction, though he tucks the flower into his vest carefully. Ugh.<br/>
<br/>
At this point, he doesn’t even have to get to his room. He just wants some place that doesn’t have someone trying to do something nice for him. Unfortunately, the universe evidently isn’t going to give him a break, because Ashe pops into his line of sight before he can so much as blink.<br/>
<br/>
“Felix!” he says happily. Goddess, Felix can’t handle this. He’s too fucking earnest.<br/>
<br/>
“What do you want?” he asks again, which seems to be the theme of today.<br/>
<br/>
Ashe, of course, isn’t deterred. He never is. “It’s your birthday, isn’t it? I wanted to do something for you!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix can’t bring himself to be mad. He just sighs as Ashe presents a book to him, the cover bearing what else but the fancy text that covered all those knight stories he loved so much.<br/>
<br/>
Ashe speaks again before he can say anything. “Now, before you complain, I know that you don’t like these kinds of stories much anymore. That’s why I wrote this one myself! You said last time that you didn’t like the aspect of friendship, loyalty, and justice being glorified by heroes who end up dying, right? So there’s absolutely none of that in this book!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix, a little surprised, takes the book from Ashe’s hands. The cover is hand-drawn, he can see that now, and he flips it open to look at the rest of it. The text inside is scribbled in what is unmistakably Ashe’s handwriting, which he’s seen on assignments in class before. Flipping to a random page in the middle, he reads the first bit.<br/>
<br/>
<em>The swordsman whirled around and swung his sword with all his might, chopping the head off the demonic beast single-handedly. There was no one around to see the beast give a final roar and crash to the ground, dead, but he felt accomplished all the same. The swordsman flicked the blood off his sword and sheathed it, turning away. The sun was beginning to set, and he needed to get home before his husband started to worry.</em><br/>
<br/>
A small smile on his face, Felix gives his head a tiny shake. Ashe had said there was no friendship, loyalty, or what have you in the book, but he can already guess where this is going. It’s kind of cute, actually. Not that he’ll say that out loud.<br/>
<br/>
“So, do you like it?” Ashe is watching him peruse the book anxiously, his hands fidgeting at the strings on his hood.<br/>
<br/>
“It looks good so far,” Felix says, snapping the book closed and shrugging. “...Thanks.”<br/>
<br/>
Ashe brightens, and Felix wants to frown. How is it that he can’t deter anyone here with his flippant replies? They all seem to read into what he says far more than he wants them to. He can’t be upset, though, because Ashe looks so damn happy about him liking the book.<br/>
<br/>
Ashe shuffles a little closer, his eyes bright. “You reacted just like I thought you would! I knew you would like it!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix rolls his eyes, but he nods. “Sure. Thanks for the gift.”<br/>
<br/>
Ashe beams. “Happy birthday, Felix!”<br/>
<br/>
At least that encounter hadn’t sucked, Felix thinks to himself as he tucks the book into his vest and walks away. He’s still been interrupted far too many times for his liking, and the day is passing at what seems like a snail’s pace. He wants his birthday to be over already, so that he can enjoy every other day of the year that doesn’t have a reason to celebrate him.<br/>
<br/>
His feet carry him past the classrooms as he debates turning around and going back to the dormitories for another try at getting to his room. He isn’t even surprised when Mercedes steps out of the Blue Lions classroom, catches sight of him, and hurries over with a smile on her face.<br/>
<br/>
“Happy birthday, Felix!” she chimes, her tone kind. She takes his hands in hers, and he scowls, though he doesn’t pull them away. “Are you having a good day?”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s been busy,” he mumbles, shrugging. “I don’t care.”<br/>
<br/>
She giggles, letting go. “I can imagine! Sylvain spent all of yesterday telling everyone in the Blue Lions that it was your birthday today. Everyone was eager to do something for you!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix grimaces. He had already guessed that Sylvain was to blame for this, especially since everyone had been mentioning him, but Mercedes’ word is proof. He’ll chew him out later. “Why does anyone even care?” he says, making his tone as bored as possible. “I’m not exactly the friendliest guy here.”<br/>
<br/>
Mercedes shakes her head, her smile warm. “Perhaps not, but we all care for you, Felix. We want to do nice things for you! You are a dear classmate and friend.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix can feel his cheeks getting hot, and he avoids Mercedes’ gaze. “Ugh. Disgusting.”<br/>
<br/>
That gets another giggle out of Mercedes. “I think it’s sweet. Now, I’m sure you guessed, but I have something for you, myself!” She holds out a handkerchief, spreading it out so that he can see the design.<br/>
<br/>
He squints at it. There’s what looks like a demonic beast on one side, and on the other, there’s a blue-haired swordsman who looks suspiciously similar to himself facing it with two swords drawn. He’s reminded so much of the passage he had just read in Ashe’s book that he wonders if they had collaborated, or something.<br/>
<br/>
She passes it to him, still smiling. “I don’t mind what you use it for. You can even use it to clean your swords, if you’d like. I just wanted to make something for you with love!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix flushes, stuffing the handkerchief in his pocket. “Thanks, I guess,” he mutters, staring down at the ground. It’s hard, receiving all this affection at once, affection he probably doesn’t even deserve. But it’s...kind of nice. Maybe.<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, Felix!” Mercedes says suddenly, like she’s remembering something. “Can you run along to the training grounds next? I think Annie said she was going to wait for you there. She has something for you, too!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix sighs, but he can’t say no, not when it’s Annette. “Fine. Thanks...for the gift.”<br/>
<br/>
Mercedes’ smile is still kind as ever as she regards him. “Of course, Felix.”<br/>
<br/>
Goddess, Felix is getting exhausted. Hopefully there isn’t much of this left. However, he dutifully makes his way to the training grounds, because, well, it’s <em>Annette.</em><br/>
<br/>
He sees her sitting on the steps, looking bored. However, when she sees him, she jumps to her feet and rushes over. “You’re evil, Felix!” she cries, beating at his chest with her little fists.<br/>
<br/>
Felix raises an eyebrow, taking her shoulders and moving her away from him, which is as easy as brushing away a fallen leaf. “Why, exactly, am I evil?”<br/>
<br/>
“You kept me waiting for so long!” she pouts, stomping her foot. “I thought you liked to train! I was soooo sure you’d be here all day, but it took you <em>forever</em> to get here.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sorry?” Felix offers, because he’s not really sure how that’s his fault, exactly. It isn’t like this was an arranged meeting.<br/>
<br/>
She harrumphs, but soon enough, her brow smooths out and she looks excited again. “Well, whatever! It’s your birthday, mister, and I’ve got the best gift ever! Since you keep making fun of my silly songs, I made a song that’s so good that you can’t get any funny ideas about it!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix blinks. He had never ‘made fun’ of Annette’s songs, as far as he remembers. He had just commented on them. In fact, he quite liked them. So...maybe this gift isn’t so bad. “Go ahead,” he says, shrugging.<br/>
<br/>
Annette looks all around to make sure there’s no one that can overhear, and then she launches into song. It’s all about battle and allies going for cake when the fighting is done, which Felix can say is pretty predictable, based on the songs he’s heard from her before. He finds a tiny smile is present on his face as he listens, and he can’t bear to wipe it away.<br/>
<br/>
When she finishes, puffing and panting, she sees his face and wails in despair. “I knew it! You thought it was even sillier than all the rest!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix shakes his head, going to pat her on the head awkwardly. “It was good. I liked it. Thank you.”<br/>
<br/>
Annette puffs up her cheeks, glaring at him suspiciously. “Are you sure?”<br/>
<br/>
Felix nods. “I’m sure. I wouldn’t mind hearing more sometime.”<br/>
<br/>
Annette quickly finds her smile again, looking proud of herself. “Well, I made sure to make this one the best! So, I’d better up my game. You just watch, Felix. I’m gonna sing the best song you’ve ever heard, and it’ll blow your socks off!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix huffs out what could be called a laugh. “I’m looking forward to it.”<br/>
<br/>
After saying goodbye to Annette, Felix is in a much better mood than before. He doesn’t even frown that much when Ingrid barrels into his path, panting as if she had run the whole way here.<br/>
<br/>
“Felix!” she says victoriously, clutching his arm and pulling him back to the dining hall. Hadn’t this already happened today, Felix wonders. At this point, he just goes limp and lets it happen.<br/>
<br/>
“What do you want?” he asks, the words familiar in his mouth.<br/>
<br/>
“We’re having dinner together for your birthday, of course!” she says, as if she’s chastising him. Maybe that’s the only tone she knows how to take with him. “We do this every year. Don’t tell me you forgot.”<br/>
<br/>
Oh. She has a point. “No,” he says.<br/>
<br/>
Ingrid huffs, plopping him in his seat. “Wait here. I got us something you really like.” She sweeps over to the kitchen, probably exchanging words with the chef.<br/>
<br/>
Felix sighs as he leans back in his seat. He hadn’t even noticed time passing so fast. Ever since the professor had dragged him out of his room, the entire day has been a whirlwind of his friends and birthday wishes. It’s exhausting, but not...unpleasant.<br/>
<br/>
Ingrid comes back out with two dishes of steak, spiced to perfection with seasoning all the way from Brigid. It’s cooked at exactly the consistency Felix likes, and even the garnishes are stuff he likes, rather than vegetables or other gross things like that. He has to admit that Ingrid knows him very well and in this case, that’s a good thing.<br/>
<br/>
“Happy birthday, Felix,” she says, smiling at him. There’s nostalgia behind her gaze, and he chews at his lip. He doesn’t like nostalgia, but even he has to admit that their childhood had been nice.<br/>
<br/>
So, he’s honest. “Thanks, Ingrid. You didn’t have to do all this for me.”<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t be silly,” she says, waving her hand in the air as she pulls her dish closer. “I want to.”<br/>
<br/>
She digs in, and Felix knows he’s not going to get another word out of her until she’s done. So, he cuts off a piece of the meat and bites down, and of course it’s heaven. It was everything he liked in food, wrapped up in one dish. He finds himself embarrassingly similar to Ingrid as they both wolf it down.<br/>
<br/>
When they’re done, Felix wipes his mouth and pushes the dish aside. He wants to leave, because he really is getting tired now, but he owes Ingrid a little more than that. So, he awkwardly faces her. “Ingrid. That was...nice of you.”<br/>
<br/>
She laughs, discarding her third napkin on her plate. “You don’t have to sound so stiff. Come here.” She crushes him in a hug, which thankfully only lasts a few seconds before she releases him. “You can go.”<br/>
<br/>
He escapes, his cheeks hot.<br/>
<br/>
Goddess, this will never end, he thinks as Lysithea rushes over to him when he nears the dormitories, dragging him to her room. Just as he predicts, there’s a small cake inside.<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t say anything about not liking cake,” she says huffily as she takes a small plate and cuts a slice onto it. “I made this especially to your tastes. It’s not very sweet, since I went for the more savoury angle. It’s primarily spiced. I’m sure you’ll love it! Go on, take a bite.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix grimaces. “You know I-”<br/>
<br/>
“Yes, yes, you don’t like sweets. Just try it!” Lysithea insists.<br/>
<br/>
Felix reluctantly takes a bite from the slice. The disgusting taste of sugar doesn’t flood his mouth as he expects, and instead his tongue is left pleasantly tingling with hints of spice from the batter, just as she had said.<br/>
<br/>
“So?” she asks, her eyes bright. “Is it not delectable? It’s one of the best cakes I’ve seen, though I still don’t understand why you don’t like the sugary ones. They’re delicious. But this one is amazing too, isn’t it?”<br/>
<br/>
Felix swallows, testing the flavour on his tongue with yet another bite. Finally, he looks down at Lysithea. “It’s okay.”<br/>
<br/>
She gasps. “Just okay? It’s <em>amazing!</em> I know you like it, I just know you do!”<br/>
<br/>
Felix shrugs. “Maybe.” He takes another bite. It’s actually okay. He never thought he’d be eating cake on his birthday, but here he is.<br/>
<br/>
Lysithea triumphantly takes another slice for herself. “Whatever you say, I know you like it! You can’t fool me with that grumpy face. The fact you keep eating is enough for me.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix doesn’t care to correct her, because she’s pretty much right. He finishes his slice, putting the plate down on her desk.<br/>
<br/>
She puts down her plate, as well. “Happy birthday, Felix. I meant to get to you earlier, but this cake took a long time to perfect.” Her tone makes it clear that this is something that Felix should be grateful for.<br/>
<br/>
He rubs the back of his neck. “Thank you, I suppose. It wasn’t terrible.”<br/>
<br/>
That seems good enough for her. She lets him out of her room, still talking about all the cakes he could eat that weren’t sweet. He agrees just so that he can get away, and then he turns in the direction of his own door.<br/>
<br/>
It’s been a long day, and Felix is tired. The sun is setting, and he’s barely had a moment to himself all day. Not that he dislikes what he had gotten from his friends, but...now he’s ready for it all to be over.<br/>
<br/>
Finally, <em>finally</em>, he makes it to his room. His hand is on the handle when the door at the end of the hall opens, and he finally sees the person who had probably orchestrated everything that had happened today step out.<br/>
<br/>
Sylvain smiles, holding open his arms, and Felix is a little ashamed at how quickly he strides over to melt into his embrace. Sylvain tucks him against his chest into a hug, placing a kiss onto his head. “How was your day, babe?” he murmurs.<br/>
<br/>
Felix sighs, his hands clutching the fabric of Sylvain’s shirt along his back. “It was fine,” he mutters. “I got a lot of attention. I don’t suppose you know how everyone found out it was my birthday..?”<br/>
<br/>
Sylvain laughs, a little sheepishly. “Guilty as charged,” he says, finally pulling back. Felix pulls him into his room, laying out the various things he had gotten from his friends on his desk next to his father’s letter. Sylvain sits on his bed, watching him with undisguised fondness.<br/>
<br/>
“I’m exhausted,” Felix says, pulling off his vest and getting into his sleep shirt. “Can we just…” He doesn’t want to finish the sentence with <em>cuddle</em>, but Sylvain knows what he wants to say anyway.<br/>
<br/>
“‘Course, moonlight,” he says, discarding his own jacket and lying down on the bed. Felix gets into bed with him, sighing with relief as Sylvain’s arms drape around his waist to cradle him. He tucks his head into the crook of Sylvain’s neck, the warmth and familiarity of it comforting.<br/>
<br/>
“Happy birthday, Felix,” his boyfriend murmurs. “I have a gift for you, but I can give it to you tomorrow.”<br/>
<br/>
“Thanks,” Felix whispers, sinking into the solace of cuddling with Sylvain. He thinks about his day. It wasn’t bad, he decides. It was tiring, but...it felt kind of nice that people wanted to do things for him. “Sylvain?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah, Fe?”<br/>
<br/>
“Thanks for telling everyone, I guess. It was...okay,” he mumbles. “I didn’t dislike it.”<br/>
<br/>
Sylvain chuckles, pressing another soft kiss to the top of Felix’s head. “You’re welcome, Fe. I know it was a lot, but I just wanted you to see how loved and appreciated you are.”<br/>
<br/>
Felix grumbles, but he allows himself to get tugged further into Sylvain’s embrace. The busy day catching up to him, he sighs and lets himself drift off, tucked safely into his boyfriend’s arms. As birthdays go...it wasn’t the worst.<br/>
<br/>
Well, okay. It was pretty great.</p>
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